


Jeunesse

by chellerrific



Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-12
Updated: 2013-06-12
Packaged: 2017-12-14 18:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/839767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chellerrific/pseuds/chellerrific
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look back on the early days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jeunesse

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for chapter 520.

The anticipation in the room was palpable. Oshiro tried to keep his cool but it was hard not to get swept up in it.

“You think the captain’s gonna come?” he asked the man standing next to him, a classmate named Watanabe.

“No way,” said Watanabe. “He’s probably at home, asleep in bed. Lucky bastard.”

“Kind of a disappointment,” Oshiro said, suppressing a sigh. “Getting orientation from a third seat.”

“What are you talking about, man?” Watanabe said, giving him an incredulous look. “They filled the lieutenant position! How could you join the division and not know that?”

Oshiro winced. When it was put like that, he did feel pretty stupid. It was true that the lieutenants were powerful and deserving of respect and admiration, but the line-up tended to change more often than the captains’ did. People didn’t know their names or faces as well, and they weren’t the subject of gossip, rumor, and general interest the way captains tended to be.

Still, there really was no excuse for this. “Really?”

“Yeah. First time since the last one died or whatever.”

 _Obviously_ , Oshiro didn’t say. “What’s his name? What’s he like?”

“I think it’s a girl,” Watanabe said. “A young one, probably, if what they say about the captain is true.” He nudged Oshiro with his elbow, a knowing look in his eyes.

“Hey, man, don’t say that.” Oshiro glanced around as if someone important might have heard, but they were surrounded only by the other new recruits.

His loyalty to his captain may have been brand new, but as far as he was concerned, it mattered. Putting personal preference aside, Oshiro believed it was just a fact that the captain of the Eighth was the best captain in the Guard. He was one of the oldest, one of those captains who’d been around forever, and incredibly powerful. From time to time one heard claims that somebody (usually a cousin’s wife’s mother’s old neighbor or something like that) had seen the captain’s bankai in action, but considering these reports never included a name or even a vague hint of what the bankai was supposed to do, those with sense learned to take them with a grain of salt.

The captain was as well-known for his propensity for drinking, napping, and skirt-chasing as he was for his immense abilities. His men liked him because he was friendly and lenient. Serving under a living legend who wasn’t going to be intimidating or strict about it? Oshiro’s choice was easy. He was thrilled to be accepted.

And even more thrilled when his eyes fell on one of his fellow new recruits, a little young for an academy graduate but not by much. She wasn’t flashy, and Oshiro certainly appreciated flash, but she had an understated beauty about her. Her short black hair was knotted neatly at the nape of her neck and her eyes behind her glasses were a deep indigo. Her face was totally impassive but he got the sense that she was keenly attuned to everything going on around them.

Watanabe saw him looking and wiggled his eyebrows, then gave Oshiro a hard shove in her direction.

Oshiro reflexively grabbed the front of the girl’s shihakusho when he fell into her. As soon as he was no longer falling, he let go, holding his hands up like they’d been burned, then quickly bowed respectfully. “Oh, crap, I am so sorry! I, um—are you all right?” He was going to strangle Watanabe.

Very little about her expression changed as she looked at him. “Try to be more careful in the future,” was all she said.

Behind him, Watanabe pointedly cleared his throat.

“Um,” Oshiro said, not wanting to be shoved again—or worse. “I’m Oshiro. Nice to meet you.”

She never got the chance to answer, if she even intended to. The door slid open just then, and a man called out in a sing-song voice, “Nanao! Is my little Nanao in here?”

Everyone immediately came to attention, bowing to the new arrival. He was unmistakably Captain Shunsui Kyoraku. The silence was absolute and reverent.

Except for the girl next to Oshiro. He couldn’t miss the fact that she hadn’t bowed and was instead staring at the captain with something like anger. He reached up to grab her sleeve, but before he could, she stalked to the front of the room.

She grabbed the thing from the captain’s hand—it was a lieutenant’s badge.

Oshiro’s stomach dropped and Watanabe’s face looked like it might be frozen in the same stricken expression permanently.

She attached the badge to her arm quickly but precisely; it was perfectly snug and straight. While she put it on, she admonished the captain in a low voice that nonetheless carried throughout the room. “Please do not address me in such a manner in front of the new recruits, or in front of the old recruits, or at all, ever.”

“But that’s how I’ve always—”

“Are you here to lead the orientation, Captain? If so, go right ahead.”

“No, by all means, my lovely Nanao will be much more welcome than me. Isn’t that right?”

He was addressing the new recruits, but everybody was too stunned by the display to answer. Finally, a few of the assembled managed a weak, “Yes, sir.” It seemed to be the desired response, anyway.

“You see? I only came to return your badge, since you left without it.”

“Because you hid it from me.”

“And you were supposed to find it, not leave without it!” The captain pouted.

The new recruits tried not to stare. Certainly they’d all heard stories, but this was just bizarre.

“I have neither the time nor the inclination for your silly games. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She snapped the door shut, the captain pulling his head back just in time to a avoid losing his nose.

She stepped in front of the ranks and turned to face them. “Good morning. I’m Lieutenant Nanao Ise. It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you all to the Eighth Division. I hope you will all work hard to support our division and our captain.”

* * *

“How are you finding your new position, Lieutenant Ise?”

Nanao took a sip of tea and considered the question. She’d heard it several times in the last few weeks, often with an edge to the word “position” that indicated the one asking thought he was making exceedingly clever and original innuendo.

Captain Kyoraku had spoken personally with her about that sort of thing when she had been preparing to take the exam. “People are going to say things,” he’d told her, earnest in a way he didn’t often make a point to be.

She had shrugged off his concerns at the time. Reality was a little tougher though. What the men had said at orientation when they hadn’t realized who she was had been incredibly tame compared to some of the things she’d heard. None of it was true, obviously, but it was a bit galling to have people insinuate or assume that she didn’t deserve her position and had only received it either because of what she’d done with Kyoraku or because of what he expected her to do with him.

The man asking now did not mean it that way, though. Kaien Shiba watched her kindly. He was a bit rough around the edges, something that seemed oddly to be a Shiba trait, but he never condescended to her and didn’t expect her to stand on ceremony despite his high noble status—she’d tried, because she was who she was, but he’d refused to have an actual conversation with her until she treated him as a fellow officer of equal rank. Since then, she had begun to think of him as a good friend.

“Challenging,” she said at last.

He laughed. “As you know, my captain is often ill and I regularly have to take on a lot of his responsibilities, even acting as captain in his stead sometimes. And yet, between the two of us, I still think you got the harder job.”

Nearby, there was a sneeze. “Is someone talking about me?” Captain Kyoraku called to them. He and Captain Ukitake were lounging just inside Ugendo, while Nanao and Kaien took tea on the porch, right outside the open door.

“Captain, please,” Kaien called back. “I’m trying to get some advice from your lieutenant on how best to act on my feelings of love for you. If you ask too many questions, you’ll ruin the surprise.”

Captain Ukitake laughed, and everyone was relieved when it didn’t turn into a cough. “Kaien, I hope these divided loyalties won’t affect your work.”

“Jushiro, don’t blame the boy. You know very well how persuasive I can be,” Kyoraku said.

“Please refrain from absconding with my lieutenant.”

“Charm is not something I can turn on and off.”

“Whoops,” Kaien said to Nanao, conspiratorially. “Guess I’ve caused a little upset.”

“What’s a pretty face between friends?” Kyoraku said.

“Captain,” Nanao said in her sternest voice. “I cannot allow your libido to impact the functionality of the Guard. You will do as Captain Ukitake says and not abscond with his lieutenant.”

“Did you just make a joke?” Kyoraku seemed to swell with pride. “Did my Nanao just make a joke? I’m having quite an influence on her.”

“There’s a frightening thought,” Kaien said with a grin.

“No, it’s true,” Nanao said. “I feel a sudden overwhelming desire to ignore all my responsibilities, chase anything female, and then drink sake until I pass out… at noon.”

Ukitake and Kaien laughed, but Kyoraku just took another sip of his drink, unconcerned. “Sounds like a pretty good Monday to me.”

* * *

“Congratulations, Nanao,” said Chikane as everybody else applauded politely. “I’m sure you will do your best.”

“I’m honored to have been chosen as your vice president,” Nanao said, exchanging bows with her. “I hope I don’t disappoint you.” She returned to her seat.

“Now, for the next order of business. I’ve received word that the Men’s Association is planning a bake sale… for this Saturday.” There was no mistaking the wryness of Chikane’s voice or expression.

Undisguised grumbling and complaints broke out all through the Shinigami Women’s Association.

“Where could they possibly have gotten that idea,” Suì-Feng groused. “Is this a real cause for concern? Can any of them actually _bake_?”

“Unfortunately, yes. And unfortunately, factoring in the competition, the projected profits from our own Saturday bake sale decrease substantially.”

“Ah, President Iba,” Nanao said somewhat timidly.

“Yes?”

Nanao stood once more. “I have some ideas for other fundraisers we could do. I mean, we should definitely still do the bake sale, because it’s already been planned and I think we could still turn a profit. I don’t approve of the automatic assumption, but people will be inclined to want to purchase baked goods from women over men, unless the quality of their product turns out to be substantially superior, which I don’t think it will. But there are other things we could try in addition. For example, people have a vested interest in the officers of the Guard. They find them— _us_ —to be intriguing individuals worthy of attention and gossip. I believe collections of photos and perhaps fact sheets with things like birthdays and favorite foods could sell very, very well.”

There was some murmuring and nodding along the table.

“How do we know the men won’t just snake this idea as well?” Suì-Feng asked.

“We’ll have to be discreet until we’re ready to start selling,” Nanao said, trying to sound more confident this was possible than she felt. “Stealth and chicanery. Some will be easier than others. My captain will tell anybody female anything they want to know and you wouldn’t even have to ply him with liquor first. Someone from the Ninth could perhaps tell Captain Kuchiki they’re doing a piece on him for the newspaper. Things like that. As long as we’re casual about it I don’t think they’re likely to get suspicious.”

“I’d be willing to help,” Captain Unohana said, her eyes betraying the barest hint of mischief.

There were grins and giggles as the women came up with ideas for how to trick their officers into being photographed and spilling their secrets.

Chikane looked especially pleased. “Very well, then. All those in favor of Vice President Ise’s idea?”

The vote was unanimous.

* * *

It was Nanao’s first lieutenant meeting since her appointment. She found herself checking her badge repeatedly to make sure it was secured to her arm, centered and even, as if it might disappear and she'd be kicked out.

She stood a little apart from everyone, observing. She was the junior-most member present, but that would change soon, she was sure. Chikane was pure steel but she seemed likely to retire once her division was stable enough to handle her departure. Marenoshin Omaeda had four children and a family fortune to luxuriate on. And there were some openings already, like at the Twelfth, but Mayuri Kurotsuchi seemed disinclined to name anyone and no one was exactly jockeying for the position.

Gin Ichimaru spied her and strolled on over. Nanao tried to discreetly see if there was any way out of this confrontation, but nothing short of turning her back on him and walking away came to her—and she was too polite to do that.

Before her appointment, Gin had been the junior-most lieutenant, both in age and seniority. He was only a little older than Nanao, but they had missed each other at the Academy completely, since he went through the year after she’d graduated. Nanao had been an anomaly, a very young graduate who’d earned higher marks in almost everything than most of her peers, but it was nothing to the prodigious Gin, who’d blazed through the whole curriculum in a single year and gone straight to a seated position in the Fifth. Still, their age and intelligence logically should have made them natural companions, but when they first met, he’d taunted and mocked her in a way that had left her deeply unnerved. She’d been unable to be near him since without her skin crawling.

“Morning, Lieutenant Ise,” he drawled, as unctuous as ever.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Ichimaru.” She felt her spine stiffen, and she locked her knees to avoid taking an involuntary step back.

“These gatherings are so boring, aren’t they? And they never even serve refreshments!”

“It’s a meeting, not a party,” she pointed out.

“That’s curious. I’ve heard you enjoy mixing business with pleasure.”

“Even if that were your business, which it’s not, it’s wildly inappropriate of you to say such things in this setting.” She hoped desperately her anger and embarrassment didn’t show on her face.

“Little Nanao, always so serious!” Gin’s smile widened, showing teeth like a predator. “I’m just kidding, of course. We all know you don’t take pleasure in anything.”

“Hey, Gin.” Kaien’s hand came down on Gin’s shoulder audibly. “Long time, no see. How’s everything going?”

“Very well, Lieutenant Shiba. Just chatting with my good friend Ise here.” Gin was unperturbed.

“I see. Say, why don’t you do us a favor and go slither somewhere else now?”

Gin held up his hands. “My, my. I didn’t realize I’d wandered into marked territory. If you’ll excuse me then.”

“I can’t stand that guy,” Kaien said, not even bothering to wait until Gin was out of earshot.

Nanao gritted her teeth. “I appreciate your assistance, Lieutenant Shiba, but I can take care of myself. If my captain told you to—”

“Hey, no, Captain Kyoraku didn’t tell me to do anything. That was just one friend looking out for another. Besides, Chikane looked like she was about to grind him into flour and make udon out of him, and as much as I’d like to see that, the Head Captain might frown a bit.”

Nanao started to relax, uncurling fingers she hadn’t even realized had turned into fists. She glanced over at Chikane, who inclined her head in a nod. Nanao nodded back with a tiny smile.

“I’m sorry,” she told Kaien. “He really knows how to push buttons.”

“No hard feelings. I know what it’s like to be the new guy, and you’ve got a few unique obstacles of your own. Just remember: we’ve always got your back. Even if we didn’t like you, we _definitely_ don’t like that guy. Seriously, I’ve never known anybody so determined to make enemies.”

“I wonder what his captain sees in him,” Nanao said.

“Well, a lot of strong captain-lieutenant partnerships come from opposites. We complement each other that way. My captain’s a bit sickly and I’m hale and hearty. Your captain is—”

“An irresponsible flake,” Nanao supplied.

“Whimsical and hedonistic,” Kaien said with a grin, “and you’re very focused and goal-oriented. And Captain Aizen is one of the kindest, most well-liked men in Soul Society, while his lieutenant is a smarmy punk who wants to get his ass kicked.”

Nanao nodded. “Your evidence is sound. I accept your theory.”

* * *

“Hey, Nanao. Do you think you could do advanced kido this afternoon?” Kyoraku was stretched out on the floor, hat tipped down over his eyes for better napping.

“Absolutely not.”

“I could order you to do it.”

“But you won’t,” Nanao said, correctly.

Kyoraku sighed. “So cruel. I always hope you’ll do me the favor without me having to pass down an order. It’s so much sweeter that way.”

“As you well know by now, I am not sweet. You will do advanced kido today.”

“But your kido is so much better than mine!”

Nanao huffed. Her nothing was better than his anything and they both knew it. There was no point in saying so.

“And the men like you so much more than me!”

“Also untrue,” she said, though that was a line of conversation she didn’t particularly wish to go down.

Kyoraku sighed again and got to his feet. “Dear Nanao,” he said, taking one of her hands. “Sweet, lovely Nanao—”

The fan connected with his knuckles with a sharp crack and he quickly withdrew his hand.

“I also have one made of metal, so don’t test me.” She pointed the fan at his face.

“All right. I’ll do advanced kido today. A bitter pill, though seldom have I felt a sweeter pain.”

“You will not succeed in convincing me you enjoy my corrective measures,” Nanao told him firmly. “I know your tricks.”

“‘Corrective measures,’” Kyoraku repeated, a dreamy look on his face.

“Just go or you’ll be late.”

“Wait. There’s something I want to talk to you about first.” He had turned quite serious suddenly.

Nanao was about to brush him off, but his expression told her this was important to him. “Very well, but please be quick. You don’t want to keep the men waiting.”

“We’ve known each other for a very long time and so I hope you know by now you can always be honest with me.”

“I am always honest with you, and even if that were not the case, you would be able to tell.”

He gave her a small smile. “That’s true. But honesty doesn’t just mean not telling lies. It bothers you, doesn’t it? The things people say.”

She didn’t have to ask for clarification. “None of it is true.”

“Clever Nanao, so skilled at dodging even direct questions.”

She frowned and shifted slightly away from his gaze.

“It’s not fair of people to make those assumptions, and you’re the one who has to pay for my behavior,” he went on.

“I notice you make no attempts to correct this behavior.”

He shrugged. “I’m an old man, set in my ways, and even if I were to act differently, my past is still what it is. I don’t much care about that as it reflects on me, but it does pain me to see it color perceptions of you, your character, and your abilities."

“It doesn’t matter. It would say more about my character if I let it affect my performance. I haven’t been your lieutenant very long and I haven’t had a chance to establish my own identity. I believe that given time I can prove myself worthy of this post.”

Kyoraku pursed his lips, considering something. “Yes. You will prove yourself worthy, because you are. That’s a very mature attitude to take and really, I expected nothing less. However, keep in mind that if you need to, you can always talk to me. Or Jushiro—”

“Captain Ukitake?” Nanao said.

“Yes. He likes you too and is the kind of man who’s always willing to lend a hand or ear if he’s able. Same goes for his lieutenant.”

“I thank you for your offer, but I’m capable of handling my own problems.”

“I’m not talking about handling things,” Kyoraku said. “I’m just talking about… talking. I know you’re not much of a talker, outside of scolding, but the option’s always available to you, should you need or even just want it.”

Nanao didn’t answer for a long moment. Finally, she nodded. “Thank you, Captain. I’m pleased and honored to know that I can rely on you. In this instance, that is.”

“And now you’ve killed the moment.” Kyoraku sighed, his head dropping.

“Good. Then there’s nothing keeping you from leaving now.” She turned him around and shooed him out the door.

* * *

Nanao paid the office a final visit, running her hand idly over the furniture as if to absorb both texture and memory. She picked up the box of her belongings and took one last lingering look, then returned to her quarters.

Or, they weren’t her quarters, no more than that was her office or her desk. Her personal belongings had already been moved, but she wanted to take one last look and, like with the office, say one last goodbye.

The memories of her early days as lieutenant of the Eighth Division were as vivid as if they had happened yesterday. There were others, too, proud ones, sad ones, memories of joy, memories of loss, millions of memories, lifetimes of memories, all left behind in this place that had been her home for so long.

Captain Kyoraku stood in the doorway—no, _Head_ Captain Kyoraku now. It wasn’t just his appearance that had changed. “Ready, Nanao?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, even knowing he’d spot the lie at once.

His face was gentle with understanding. “Me too. Let’s go.”

She smiled. She wasn’t leaving _everything_ behind—not the really important things.

**Author's Note:**

> Requisite notes about my extreme aversion to being Jossed or otherwise getting things wrong, even though it’s fic and doing whatever the hell you want is half the point. I just wanted to write this, in part as a way to start dealing with all my damn feelings about stuff that happened 20 chapters ago that I’m still trying to cope with. Too many feelings about fictional characters, sob.
> 
> I’ve cobbled together my own timeline, trying to be as true to established fact as I could. I hope I haven’t gotten anything glaringly wrong.
> 
> I have always liked the idea of Kyoraku’s and Ukitake’s lieutenants being close to one another, because I imagine they would wind up spending a lot of time together. We haven’t really had the chance to see it in canon, so I’ve indulged myself here.
> 
> Gin is a character I’d like to write more, which I feel says a few very specific things about me as a person.


End file.
